


Skinny Soy Mocha

by PreludeInZ



Category: Team Fortress 2
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Crushes, Fluff, Multi, art fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-28
Updated: 2015-04-28
Packaged: 2018-03-26 06:10:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3840007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PreludeInZ/pseuds/PreludeInZ
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><a class="tumblr_blog" href="http://sinuswave.tumblr.com/post/110540536274/au-where-pauling-is-heavys-cheeky-secretary">sinuswave</a>:</p><blockquote class="xkit-colorquotes-border-item">
  <p>AU where Pauling is Heavy’s cheeky secretary, Scout works at Starbucks and Medic is a vet and probably has a dove sanctuary in his veterinary practice</p>
</blockquote>
            </blockquote>





	Skinny Soy Mocha

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sinuswave](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sinuswave/gifts).



She had snuck in the door just past closing time, and managed to avoid notice by any of the coffeeshop employees. Now she sauntered out of the bathroom, and spooked the barista behind the counter.

"You, uh. You wrote your number on my boss’s coffee. The skinny soy mocha? That’s Mr. Misha’s. Mine’s the Americano."

Miss Pauling had never seen anyone go so pale so quickly and a coffee cup slipped from his fingers to shatter on the floor. Well, thankfully he was alone. She’d caught a glimpse of the manager in the back office, doing the books for the day.

” _Shit_.” He vanished behind the counter, ducking down, presumably to pick up the broken pieces of ceramic. Only, he didn’t reappear and Miss Pauling arched an eyebrow, leaned her elbows on the counter, peeking over.

"…are you  _hiding_?” she asked, stifling a giggle at him. He’d hunched up on the floor and pressed right back against the inside of the counter, and was staring up at her, blushing furiously.

"Little bit." He grimaced and buried his face in his hands. "Also, we’re closed. So I was was hopin’ you’d leave. Or that I’d just die or somethin’, it’d be slightly less embarassin’. Aw, god. Is he mad? Your boss?"

Pauling grinned now. “No. But you got his hopes up. It’s Scout, right?”

It said so on the nametag, and he got reluctantly back to his feet. “Yeah. I, um. I kinda ain’t into enormous Russian dudes. Or um, any dudes. At all. Uh, you can tell him I’m real sorry. Coffee’s on the house, on accounta I’m a bit of a fuckup an’ probably when my manager gets done in the back, I’m gonna get fired.”

"I’m Pauling." She held out a hand, genial. "I hope you don’t get fired. Actually, I was wondering if you could help me."

Scout nodded, rubbed his eyes, failed to notice her offered hand. He looked awfully tired for someone surrounded by caffeine. “Sure. Wouldn’t be so bad, anyway, I still got the other job. Like that one better, ‘cept it’s nights an’ that an’ school an’ all kinda kills me. Was an americano, right? Skinny soy somethin’ or other for your boss? I ain’t great at coffee, there’s ‘bout a billion things on this menu, an’ I’m dyslexic.”

Miss Pauling had to hide another grin behind her hand. Oh no, he was  _cute_ and horrifically overworked, two of her favourite qualities. “I think you’re just fine at coffee. Yes, a tall Americano, grande skinny soy mocha. But that’s not what I want your help with.”

"…look, I uh, I dunno what you meant by ‘got his hopes up’, but I ain’t  _that_ hard up for money.”

She laughed. “My boss is not interested in you, he thinks you’re too skinny and that you talk too much. Also he was annoyed that I laughed because you wrote ‘egghead’ on his coffee.”  _These are the reasons he told me I should brush you off, but I think I won’t do that. I think you’re_ extremely _cute, oh darn it_.

"Oh,  _thanks_. I take it back, you pay for your coffee. You’re mean.”

Miss Pauling held up her hands in protest. “Don’t shoot the messenger. Look, I just wanted to know about the man who was at the counter the other day. The older guy? With the bag and the glasses?”

Scout perked up a bit at this, looked up and arched an eyebrow. “What, who, the doc? He’s a real nice guy.” He paused, frowned. “I ain’t sure I’m supposed to talk about customers, though.”

"There’s no such thing as barista-customer confidentiality, you’re fine. What’s his name?" At this point, Pauling was gambling on his still being interested in talking to her, on the fact that he had an obvious crush. Even if she  _was_ kind of mean.

"Hell, I dunno. Just the Doc. He’s a veterinarian." Further conversation was stifled by the noise of steam foaming through soy milk. "My, uh, my cat was real sick, an’ he fixed her up for me, let me pay for it over like a year an’ in coffee discounts. He’s just real good ‘bout animals, ain’t so great with people, I guess. Was a real doctor, like a people doctor. Um, in the army somewhere. Germany, I think."

She pulled out a notepad, scribbled this information down. When the sound had died down, she questioned further. “Right, uh huh. Do you know where his practice is? What does he specialize in? You don’t happen to have his card or anything?”

Scout looked a little dejected as he slid her boss’s latte across the counter. “I dunno. Birds, I think. Yeah, he’s got a bunch of doves, runs some kinda sanctuary. You into older dudes? All white collar an’ that? I guess so, probably I ain’t your type.” He sighed, pulled a shot of espresso for her americano. “An’ your boss thinks I’m a goddamn twink, not that there’s anything  _wrong_ with that, s’just it’s what I get for bein’ too skinny an workin’ at Starbucks. Man. I never had a shot, did I? Sorry, um, about the Doc, though. ‘Cuz he’s a good guy an’ all, but, uh. He um, he probably ain’t lookin’ for…um. For  _your_ type, exactly. Like, the cute secretary thing ain’t really his deal. Probably someone more like your boss. If you know what I mean.”

Pauling’s eyes glittered, and she leaned forward on her elbows, “ _Exactly_.”

"…what?" He snapped a lid on her coffee cup and his eyes widened. Blue, she noted, a very nice blue. "…wait,  _no_. Y’mean your boss…an’ the Doc? What, you’re friggin’ kiddin’ me.  _Shit_ , no. An’ him at the counter with the coffee an’ everything, you’re jokin’. Aw, man. Man! Aw, shoot, wish you’d’ve said somethin’, I totally woulda told him to go over an’ say hi, he’s a big goddamn baby.”

Miss Pauling clapped her hands and giggled. “I’m saying something  _now_ , you have to  _help me_. All right? Look, you  _can’t_  get fired, I need you to text me when he comes in here. We’re just in the building across the street. Okay? Mr. Misha hasn’t had a date in  _years_  and it’s driving me crazy.”

Scout was grinning now, equally enthusiastic. “Oh man! Oh, sure, definitely. Hah, he’s a huge nerd, though. Your boss better like…I dunno, like old movies an’ chess an’ that kinda shit. And birds. The man never shuts up about goddamn birds.”

"Oh, no, that sounds just right." Miss Pauling had already pulled out her phone, was waiting expectantly, beaming. "Give me your number."

"Right! Right, sure." He did, and moments later his phone buzzed in the pocket of his apron, confirming she had it right. "Sweet. Um. He’s usually in here mornings, I don’t catch a lotta morning shifts, but I’ll try an’ trade for a few."

” _Perfect_.” She tossed her hair and grinned. “This is gonna be great.”

"Sure hope so."

"I’d better go, though. You’re closed and all, right?"

Scout nodded, a little sorry to see her go. “Yeah. Uh, here, I’ll let you out. So…um…you mind if I wanted, uh, maybe just to chat sometimes? Got your number an’ all, gets pretty boring here sometimes. If you don’t mind?”

Miss Pauling winked as he pushed the door open for her, and held it as she slipped past him, accidentally caught the scent of her hair, mint and lavender and intoxicating. “I don’t mind. Bye!”

It was only after he’d locked the door behind her and she’d vanished around the corner that he actually read the text she’d sent. He wouldn’t have looked if she hadn’t sent a second one. The one that instructed him to meet her for a drink after he got done.

> _call me <3 (cuz ur cute) ;) _

> _Or let me buy you a drink anyway, now that we’re partners in crime._

Little winky face and everything.

> _=D!_


End file.
